


Angeles

by JustAn0therFang1rl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Castiel, Librarian Castiel, M/M, Misunderstandings, Musician Dean, Not Beta Read, Openly Bisexual Dean, Sorry guys, You Have Been Warned, i might finish it but i might not, not finished, semi abadoned fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-05-16 22:58:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5844256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAn0therFang1rl/pseuds/JustAn0therFang1rl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas never goes to bars, but the one time he does, he meets a mysterious stranger with the most beautiful voice.</p><p>Inspired by Steve Carlson's cover of 'Angeles' featuring Jensen Ackles </p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Green-Eyed Guitar Player

How did Castiel get roped into going out with his big brother? He hardly ever went out, and especially not to a bar. And yet, he'd allowed Gabriel to drag him to the busiest bar on the planet.

Gabe went through the crowd seamlessly, stopping to talk to people along the way. Cas tried his damnedest to make it to the bar with minimal contact with strangers' personal space. He eventually made his way to a stool and plopped down.

"What'll it be?" a petite blonde from behind the bar asked him.

"Um..." Castiel had to think about it for a moment. "Whiskey, I guess. On the rocks." 

"You got it." The blonde set a glass down in front of him and dropped a few ice cubes in, landing in the glass with a clink. She grabbed a bottle of caramel colored liquid and poured it. "Let me know if there's anything else I can get for ya." She went to tend to other patrons.

Just as Cas was bringing the glass up to his lip, someone clapped him on the back. Cas turned to see Gabriel.

"Having fun yet, Cassie?" Gabe asked.

"No," Cas deadpanned.

Gabe knitted his eyebrows together in mock confusion. "Why not? This place is great!"

"The music is too loud, the floor is sticky, there are way too many people, and it smells faintly of vomit," Castiel listed, complaining.

Gabe rolled his eyes. "You're just too uptight. But I  _guarantee_  you'll like the live music that's lined up for tonight." Gabe let out a cat calling whistle. "He's really hot."

Now it was Cas's turn to roll his eyes. "Is that why you brought me here? To set me up with this-" he looked around and spotted a sign saying the singer's name, "-Dean Winchester guy? No thanks."

"I brought you here because I was  _hoping_ I'd be able to help get that stick out of your ass. But I guess that's not happening.

Cas took a sip of his whiskey, savoring the burn in his throat.

"Whatever, baby bro," Gabe says. "I'll see you around." He starts to sink back into the sea of people.

"Where are you going?" Cas called out.

"To mingle!"

Cas turns around, his knees unexpectedly bumping into someone.

"I am so sorry!" Cas apologizes. He looks up and sees green eyes peering down at him, a genuine smile on his god-like face.

"No worries, man." The song changes and the man says to himself, "Man, I love this song." Cas identifies the song as 'Angeles' by Elliot Smith. The stranger eyes the shaking drink in Cas's hand. "Are you okay?"

Cas follows the man's eyes to his trembling hand. "Oh. That. Yeah, that just happens when I'm nervous. It's no big deal."

The man puts his elbows on the bar and leans in close to Castiel. "And what on earth could you  _possibly_ be nervous about?" They're so close together that Cas can see that in those green eyes, there's a hint of gold, making his eyes seem almost peridot.

Cas swallows, suddenly a lot more nervous than he was before. "I don't really come to these things."

The man chuckles. "To bars?" He clicks his tongue once. "And here I thought  _I_ was the one making you nervous."

Cas looks down awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

After a few seconds of silence, the stranger says, "Look, it was great talking to you..." He trails off, realizing he doesn't know Cas's name.

"Castiel," Cas introduces. "Some people call me Cas."

"Cas, huh?" the man ponders. "I like that. It suits you. Well, it was great meeting you, Cas, but I actually have somewhere I need to be."

"Oh. Yeah. I understand." Cas's face falls slightly, but he hope the other man doesn't notice it too much.

A heartbreaking smile crosses the man's face and Castiel finds himself having a hard time breathing. "I'll see you around, Cas." He winks at him before leaving. Cas's eyes widen slightly and he turns to check out the man, his brows raising in approval.

Cas takes another drink of his whiskey, polishing it off. He sets it down and pushes it slightly forward.

The blonde waitress comes back over to him. "Need another?"

"Just a beer this time," Cas requests.

"Coming right up." She bent down and returned with a bottle of beer. The condensation on the side reveals that it was, in fact, chilled. The girl sets it on the counter and grabs a bottle opener, snapping the cap off like she'd done it a thousand times, which she probably has. "You know, I don't think I've seen you in here before," she comments as Cas brings the bottle to his lips.

"I don't come to bars very often," Cas retorts. "I much rather prefer a nice, quiet cafe or bistro."

"So what brought you here tonight?"

"Not a  _what_ , a  _who_. My brother. Gabriel."

"Gabe? He's a regular here."

"Yeah, I kinda gathered that." Cas takes another drink.

"My name's Jo, by the way." She extends her hand and Cas shakes it.

"Cas."

Someone calls out for the bartender, so Jo says, "Just let me know if you need something else."

"I will. Thank you." Cas takes another drink of his beer as the overhead music fades. He pulls the bottle away and sets it on the counter, his hand still on it, and turns to look towards the stage, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Cas just about spits out his beer when he sees the green-eyed stranger walk onstage with an acoustic guitar. The crowd whoops and cheers and the man - Dean, as Cas had learned from the flyer - smiles humbly.

"How are y'all doing tonight?" he asks the crowd through the microphone. "My name is Dean Winchester. I'm an Aquarius. I like long walks on the beach. And I'm here to sing you a few songs." The crowd cheers again. 

Dean starts strumming a tune that's unfamiliar to Castiel. Dean starts singing lyrics Cas had never heard and he stares up at the stage with his mouth slightly agape. He's still in awe as the song ends and the crowd roars applause. Cas joins, clapping his hands.

"This is another original, but I'm sure some of you know it by now," Dean introduces. A new, more upbeat, tune begins from his guitar.

Cas is too busy paying attention to Dean to notice his brother coming and sitting behind him. Gabe eyes Cas, noticing the way he's looking at Dean. He smirks.

"Told ya you'd like the singer," Gabe teases, causing Cas to jump with a start.

"Gabe! Don't do that!" Cas turns to face Gabriel, but then the song stops again and Dean talks, so Cas turns his attention back to walking version of Michelangelo's 'David'.

"I'm gonna sing a few covers, if you don't mind," Dean announces. "If you have any requests, just shout 'em out."

Quite a few people yell out song titles, some of which Cas has heard of, and others he hasn't, but to Cas, the loudest came from his brother, yelling practically in his ear.

"Hungry Eyes!" Gabe yells. More than once.

Cas rolls his eyes.

Dean perks up at something he heard and smiles as he adjusts the capo on the neck of his guitar. "I heard a lot of great suggestions, but there's one in particular that stood out the most to me. So here goes nothing." 

Dean doesn't bother with an intro and starts immediately with the opening line of 'Hungry Eyes'. Gabe shoots his fist up in victory.

If Cas didn't know any better, he would have  _sworn_ that Dean was looking directly at him during the chorus. But Cas knew how crazy that was. Just because he's gay doesn't mean that every man he becomes attracted to also is. Cas was putting his money on Dean being straight, even though it was a bit disappointing.

"Sorry folks, but this is the last song of the night, but I'm gonna make it extra special for you," Dean announces before his finale. "It's been really great playing for you tonight, but all things must come to an end." He sings the chorus to 'Carry On Wayward Son' by Kansas before he starts strumming.

Cas decides that instead of staying and allowing to make a fool of himself in front of the wonderfully talented Dean Winchester,  _again_ , he'd rather duck out before his set is finished. Cas downs the rest of his second beer and stands up.

"Where you going, bro?" Gabe asks him.

"Home," Cas states.

"Why? You don't want to stay and talk to Mr. Dreamy when he's done?"

Cas looks up at Dean, his eyes filled with sadness. "What's the point?" He leaves, missing the look of disappointment on Dean's face as he realizes Cas is leaving.


	2. Latte

Cas is just about to head to bed when Gabriel comes in the door of their apartment.

"Dude!" Gabe yells. "Why'd you leave?"

"Because I'd prefer to  _not_ make a fool of myself." After a second, Cas adds, "Again."

Gabe rolls his eyes. "Did you know that he  _asked_ for you afterwards?"

Cas perks up a little bit, and bites his lip to conceal the smile that's starting to spread across his face. "He did?"

"Yes, you idiot. But don't worry; I gave him your number."

"You did  _what_?" Cas yells.

Gabe crosses into their small living room and plops down on the worn couch. "I gave him your number. He'll probably call or text you someone tomorrow. You're welcome."

"You're impossible!" Cas groans. He retreats into his bedroom, closing the door loudly behind him.

 

The next morning, Cas wakes to his cell phone buzzing, an incoming call from an unknown number. Cas tries not to groan as he answers, expecting it to be Dean Winchester.

"Hello?" Cas asks hesitantly.

"Hello, I'm calling for a Castiel Novak," a woman says.

So it's not Dean. Cas isn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.

"This is he," he sighs.

"Hi, Castiel. My name is Naomi Milton; I'm with the law firm representing Mr. Shurley's estate."

Cas sits up, his interest piqued. Chuck Shurley was the owner of the library Cas worked at. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm sure by now you've heard that Mr. Shurley is missing."

"No, I haven't, actually." This was true. "Last I heard, he was on vacation. Somewhere in Illinois."

"He  _was_." She emphasizes the past tense. "However, no one has seen him days. He's shown on security footage at the hotel he was staying at as leaving one day and not returning. He hasn't even checked out."

Cas shakes his head, trying to understand. "So why are you calling me?"

"Mr. Shurely's will clearly states his property being left to  _your_ care. I need you to come down to my office to sign a few documents for me, granting you temporary ownership until Mr. Shurley is found."

Cas nods to himself. "Yeah. Okay, sure. When?"

"My next available appointment is Thursday at noon. Does that work for you?"

"Yes. That will be fine. Thank you, Mrs. Milton."

"I'll see you on Thursday, Mr. Novak." The lawyer hangs up.

Cas sets his phone down and runs his hand through his hair, unsure of what to think. Chuck had left Castiel in charge of the bookstore while he was on vacation, but he didn't realize that he was meant to  _inherit_ the building. He exhales, standing up.

Cas exits his room, the faint sound of his brother's snoring emanating from the master bedroom. He goes for the kitchen and starts a pot of coffee.

Cas is pouring a bowl of cereal when Gabriel emerges from his room, yawning and stretching his arms out. He has some serious bedhead, and Cas can't help but laugh at it.

"Like you look any better," Gabe retorts. He sits down at the small table in the compact kitchen across from Cas. "So did lover boy call yet?" He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

Cas rolls his eyes. "No. And I don't think he will."

"Why not? He was into you."

Cas pulls the half gallon of milk from their refrigerator and twists the cap off to pour it over his breakfast. "I seriously doubt that." He puts the cap back and returns the milk.

"See? That's your issue. You have no self confidence."

"That is not true," Cas argues.

"Oh, yeah, okay," Gabe scoffs. "Name one time you displayed your ego."

Cas pauses for a moment to think. "Well there was last night."

"What, when you talked to that waitress? That doesn't count, dude."

"Not that." He shrugged his shoulders. "I went out with you in the first place. You know I hate bars."

Gabe's jaw goes slack in shock. "You're joking, right? Just the  _act_ of leaving the apartment is your big display of confidence? That's weak, bro, even for you." Gabe stands up and crosses to the fridge, pulling out the orange juice. He takes a swig straight out of the carton, to which Cas scrunches his nose.

"I also didn't wear my coat," Cas adds between bites of his cereal.

Gabe returns the juice and reaches towards the back for a half-eaten slice of marble cake. "Good. That thing makes you look like a tax accountant."

Cas huffs before he swallows the left over milk from his bowl. He stands and washes his dishes immediately before setting them in the drying rack.

"You know, I still don't get why you do that," Gabe comments, his mouth full. Cas notices a frosting mustache on his upper lip, but doesn't say anything.

"Because then it doesn't sit in the sink for  _days_ , unlike your dishes," Cas states.

"My dishes don't sit in the sink for  _days_. Maybe just one or two."

"No. They don't. Because I can't sleep until I know that all the dishes are clean." Cas crosses the kitchen to make way for the bathroom.

"Oh yeah. See? My dishes don't sit there.  _You_ do them. Without being asked, I might add." Gabe raises his eyebrows to accentuate his point.

Cas rolls his eyes and stands in front of the vanity. He brushes his teeth, then washes his face. He examines his jaw, trying to decide if he needs to shave yet or if he can survive with the little bit of stubble he has. He decides to just leave it, and goes back into his bedroom. He hears Gabe drop his plate in the sink and he rolls his eyes again. So much of what his brother does and says is worthy of his eye rolling.

Cas checks the time on the little digital clock sitting on his nightstand, realizing he still has over an hour before he has to be at the bookstore. He sighs and goes to scan the small, but very full, bookshelf in the corner by the window. He grabs the much read copy of Elie Wiesel's  _Night_. He leans back on his bed and starts from the beginning.

By the time he's nearly a third of the way finished, he notices the time and sighs. It's time to get ready for work. He dog-ears the page he's on and sets it on his pillow. Cas crosses to his closet and pulls light blue button down from a plastic hanger. On the other side of the closet, he grabs a pair of black jeans. They're nice enough to pass as slacks, but they are definitely more comfortable. Finally, he grabs one of his many reference tees to wear under his button down. Today he goes with a light gray Star Wars tee of C-3PO saying "Let the Wookie win." He changes out of his plain white tee shirt and green flannel pajama pants and into his clothes for the day.

Gabe is laying on the couch, watching TV and chewing on caramels when Cas passes through.

"Off to work, baby bro?" Gabe asks, his tongue sticking slightly to the roof of his mouth.

"Yeah. Don't eat all the candy," Cas demands. He slips into his shoes and heads out the door.

As he nears the bookstore, he spots the cafe next door and realizes that he forgot to grab coffee on his way out. He had it made and everything, but he forgot it. Figures. He stands there, staring at the open doors, the scent of coffee and baked goods mixing into the fresh air, deliberating whether or not to just bite the bullet and buy a cup. He decides against it. He can always duck over if he changes his mind.

He pulls out the key to the store and unlocks it, reveling in the scent of new books as the door swings open. Even though he smells it every day, he doesn't know if he'll ever get over it. There's something about unopened pages that gives off the most beautiful fragrance. He breathes deeply and crosses over to the counter. He's grabbing the cash tray from the safe in the office behind the counter when he hears the little bell over the front door ring.

"We don't open until nine," he calls, carrying the tray out to the register. He nearly drops it when he sees who just walked in.

"Hey, Cas, right?"

Cas has a hard time finding words as he stares at Dean Winchester.

"Um, if you're not open yet, I can come back," Dean says, sensing awkwardness.

Cas opens his mouth to speak, but finds that words don't come out.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes!" Cas practically shouts. Dean jumps slightly. "Yes, I...I am fine. But, no, we're...we're not open yet."

"So I should come back in like...ten minutes?" Dean turns his very well built body towards the door.

"Um, yes. That...that would be a-a good idea," Cas stammers.  _Cas, you idiot_ _!_ he thinks to himself.

"Okay, that's cool. I'll just duck into the coffee shop next door." Dean steps back out onto the sidewalk, the bell tinging again. Cas lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Smooth one, Novak," he sighs to himself. He slides open the register drawer and sets the cash tray inside. He quickly checks to make sure the correct amount is inside, even though he always does before he closes as well. He closes the drawer and it locks automatically. He does a quick walk through of the store and makes sure all the shelves look neat. He turns the two-sided sign in the window so the outside reads 'Open'. Before he's even back at the counter, the bell is ringing. He turns to greet the customer, only to meet those emerald eyes that have been haunting him all night.

"Hey," Dean sighs. "So, I'm back." He shrugs. Cas notices that he's holding two cups from the cafe next door. Dean walks towards Cas, thrusting one of the cups forward. "I saw you staring at the shop and thought maybe you'd like a cup. I don't know your order, so I just got you a latte. I figured, even people who don't like coffee like lattes, so that's what I did," he babbles.

"I usually just drink it black," Cas notices the slight panic on Dean's face, so he quickly adds, "but a latte is great!" He takes the cup from the guitar player. "Thank you. How much do I owe you for it?"

"Nothing, it's on me," Dean answers.

Cas's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Are you sure? I can pay you back; it's not that big of an issue."

"No, I...I wanted to. It's on me, seriously. Especially because I wasn't able to buy you a drink after my show last night." Dean ducks his head a little so he's gazing directly into Cas's eyes.

"I, um, I...yeah, I..." Cas stutters. He's not sure exactly what to say to that.

Dean takes a quick step backwards. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize. Sorry. I just...I saw the way you were watching me last night and I thought... But, clearly, you're straight. Sorry. I'll, uh...I'll leave you alone now." Dean starts to walk away.

"I'm not!" Cas blurts before he can stop himself.  _Well. there's no turning back now_. "I'm not straight. I'm...the opposite, actually. I'm gay."

Dean stops and turns slightly, but not all the way. "Oh. That's cool. But you're clearly not interested, so sorry to bother you. See you around, Cas."

"It's not that," Cas says, trying to get Dean to stay. "I am, I swear." He looks to the side, realizing how forward he was being. His teeth dig into his bottom lip. "I just didn't think you were."

Dean turns, a warm smile on your face. "Well, clearly, I am." He turns his smile into a smirk. "So what's the problem? Do I make you nervous or something?"

Cas just stares, unsure how to reply.

Dean chuckles, looking down at his boots. "I'll take that as a yes." Dean steps closer to Castiel, his eyes never leaving Cas's. "By the way, I love that shirt on you. It really brings out the blue in your eyes." Dean smirks at him again, then turns towards the door. "I'll see you around, Cas."

"Wait!" Cas calls. Dean stops and turns back to Cas. "Gabe said he gave you my number."

Dean bites his lip and looks down again. "Yeah, he did. But I didn't want to use it until I knew you wanted me to."

"Now you know."

Dean smiles, still looking down. He looks back up. "Yeah, I guess I do. I'll call you later."

"Okay."

"Okay." Dean starts for the door again.

"Thanks for the coffee, by the way," Cas quickly adds.

"You're welcome. I'll see you later." And Dean leaves, the bell ringing again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will try to get the third chapter by the 12th, but I make no promises, as I have a funeral to attend this weekend for a close relative. Thanks for reading :-) And thanks so much for the kudos!!!!


	3. Boys in Bookstores

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how long it took. My baby sister died, and writing has been one of the last things on my mind. Better late than never, I guess. :-)

Shortly after Dean had left, people started pouring in. Castiel wasn't all that surprised - it is Saturday, after all - but this was madness. He barely had time to check the clock. But when he did, he noticed it was almost noon. Normally at this time, he'd be closing the shop for half an hour to take his lunch break, but there were three people in line and at least six more roaming through the shop somewhere. At the rate it's been going, Cas would be lucky to get any food by the time Kevin was supposed to come in. His stomach growled at the thought.

 

Dean had decided to take his lunch at the cafe next to Castiel's bookstore instead of the bar like he usually. He swore up and down to Sam that it had absolutely nothing to do with the guy with the mesmerizing blue eyes from the bar last night working next door, but they both knew it was a complete sham. Dean was walking towards the cafe, peering through the window of the bookstore as he did. He tried to just slow down to a leisurely pace, but when as he neared the cafe, he noticed the flustered look on the man's pale face. He stopped and stared inside for a moment before he charged inside. He grabbed the first book he passed as he went directly to the end of the line.

Cas looked up to greet the next customer and was taken aback when he saw Dean's smiling face.

"Dean," he gasped. "I, uh, wasn't expecting you."

Dean peered over his shoulder to see how many people were behind him. None, yet, but there was a girl making her way over.

"I was just going to lunch and I remembered I needed to pick this up." Dean set the book on the counter.

Cas raised an eyebrow as he read the title. " _The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself_?" Cas hadn't pegged Dean for the self-help type. But, as Cas knew all too well, don't judge a book by its cover...even though that's exactly what everybody does.

Dean's eyes widened slightly, but he tried to cover it. "It's for my brother. Yeah, he's really into the whole touchy-feely, self-help, yoga crap." Dean shrugged.

Cas just nodded, a small smirk on his face, and scanned the book. "Would you like to sign up for our newsletter?"

It was Dean's turn to smirk. "If I say 'yes', do I get to talk to you longer?"

Cas felt the blush rise to his cheeks. "I guess technically, yes."

"Then yes."

"I need an email address, please."

Dean's eyes widened again and his cheeked turned pink. "Right, um," he peeks over his shoulder to make sure the girl behind him isn't listening before he adds, "it's impala67@gmail."

Cas types it into the computer, along with Dean's name, which he already knew. "You will be recieving a welcome email which will allow you to program your settings to how often you'd like to hear from us."

Dean nods. His tongue darts out to lick his lips and as it retreats back in, he pulls his bottom lip in, gnawing on it. Cas tries, and fails, not to stare. "So what's with the line today? Is it always this busy?"

"Um, on Saturdays, yes, this is fairly average, but it just feels like a lot because we're under-staffed. I haven't even been able to have lunch yet."

Dean glances down at his watch. "It's almost two in the afternoon."

"Yeah."

Dean shakes his head disapprovingly. "Oh, how much for the book."

"You didn't come in here to buy the book, did you?" Cas asked knowingly.

Dean smiles. "Nope."

"Then don't worry about it."

"But if I don't buy the book, then I've just wasted everybody's time."

"Not mine. You gave me a chance to breathe." Cas smiles at him, teasing.

Dean's smile grows. "Well alright then. I'll see you later, Cas."

Dean heads for the door. Cas tries not to check out his ass so he can help the next customer, but Dean's jeans just fit so perfectly that Cas can't help himself.

 

Just over ten minutes later, Dean returns into the shop, carrying a white paper bag. He gets in line, behind only one person. Cas noticed when he came in and had to bite back a grin as some woman was pouring her heart out about reading is the only thing keeping her sane between her cheating husband and crappy work days.

When Dean approaches, he notices that no one's behind him. He sets the bag on the counter and slides it towards Cas.

Cas looks up at Dean with a mix of shock and joy. "What's this?"

"I asked the barista if you ever came in for lunch. She knew exactly what you order and how you order it."

"Turkey, tomato, and lettuce on a croissant, with no mayo but just a tiny bit of olive oil?"

"Um...maybe?" Dean didn't know what the dark-haired girl made, but she said it's what he always gets on Saturdays.

Cas opened the bag and unwrapped the sandwich. It was turkey, tomato, and lettuce on a croissant with just a tiny bit of olive oil. He beamed at Dean. "It's perfect."

"Yeah, the girl said that she had one ready for you at noon, but had to throw it out when you didn't show. Did you have lunch date or something?"

"What? No. I told you I was..." he trailed off when he say the teasing look on Dean's face. "Meg is just very observant."

"I think it's a bit deeper than that," Dean scoffs.

Cas cocks his head to the side, looking like an adorably confused kitten. "What do you mean?"

"Just that she has a huge crush on you."

Cas tilts his head to the other, a smile playing at his lips. "Are you...jealous?"

"What? No. That's...no," Dean lied. Cas stares at him. Dean licks his lips and nods. "Okay, maybe a little bit."

A man in a suit behind Dean clears his throat, obviously irritated. Dean steps to the side to let Cas help him.

"Sorry about that," Cas apologizes, taking the three books from the man. "Did you find everything okay?"

"Sure," the man deadpans.

"You're total comes to $27.15"

The man shoves a credit card at Cas. He takes it and swipes it. He asks the man for a signature at the bottom of a credit slip and sends him on his way. Dean steps forward again.

"That was kind of rude," Dean comments.

Cas shrugs. "I've had worse."

"You've had worse than  _that_?"

"People love to complain." Cas picks up his sandwich again and takes a bite.

Dean grins. "Hey, Cas, are you busy tonight?"

Cas swallows and Dean can't help but watch the movement in his throat. He has to readjust the way he's standing to try to hide the growing bulge.

"If by 'busy' you mean watching reruns of  _Unwrapped_ on the Food Network with my brother, then yes," Cas answers.

Dean's smile widens. "Can I take you to dinner tonight?"

Cas pauses, about to take another bite. "Like a...date?"

Dean panics. "Only if you want."

Cas smiles a big, gummy smile. "I'd like that."

"That's great," Dean sighs, relieved. "Can I pick you up at, say, seven?"

Cas nods, his mouth currently full with more sandwich.

Dean smiles. "Then I'll see you at seven." Dean taps the counter gently with his knuckles twice before leaving, a weird habit he'd gotten into to avoid an awkward goodbye.

Cas smile grows as he watches Dean walk away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, sorry for the delay. I'll try to have the next chapter by the 19th. Should be easier to do this time. Thanks for bearing with me. :-)
> 
> The book is real. Not trying to make fun of it. I have nothing against self help books and I even own a few myself. Dean's email based on his canon dating profile name.


	4. Drive

The faint ticking of his watch was enough to drive Cas mad as he stared at his open closet. Dean was going to pick him up in less than an hour and he had no idea what to wear. He might have had a better idea if he knew where Dean was taking him, but he didn't. Were they going to a casual diner or to a fancy, expensive place? He groaned and rested his head against the door frame with an audible thud.

Cas tried to think of the last time he was this nervous before a date. It had been almost six years. Sure, Cas has been on other dates since, but none that filled his stomach with butterflies. No, the ones he'd been on were just casual guys that his overbearing brother had tried to set him up with. He hasn't even had a second date in over three years.

 

His phone buzzes. It's a text message from an unknown number.

**_From Unknown, 6:26 pm:_ ** _Hey, it's Dean. I forgot to g_ _et your address earlier._

Cas smiles down at his screen as he sends Dean the address. He also takes the time to save Dean's number into his contacts.

He starts leafing through the hung shirts. Some he stops and examines for a moment, but most get discarded after the first glance. Until his eyes land on a periwinkle button down. He remembers his best friend buying it for him and making him try it on. "I knew it was perfect the moment I saw it," she had said, grinning. She's been saying ever since that it brings out his eyes. So he opts for that one.

He sheds the light blue shirt he was wearing and replaces it with the periwinkle. It's not a huge difference, but it's enough. However, he leaves his Star Wars tee on underneath. He looks down at his jeans and thinks.  _Do I leave these on or do I change into slacks? Or do I wear blue jeans? No. I want to be myself, and I hardly ever wear blue jeans._ He eventually decides to just leave his black jeans on.

The next time he checks his watch, it's 6:48. Cas goes into the bathroom and quickly brushes his teeth. He's extra diligent with his use of mouthwash, making sure that his breath is extra fresh, just in case. He's never really been the type to kiss on the first date, but with Dean...it just feels different somehow. Almost like they've known each other for years, when they've actually only just met.

He tries to comb his hair, even though he already knows it's a lost cause. His hair has never been known for it's cooperation. He gives up when he hears a knock on the door.

He runs out to the hallway and glances through the peep hole in his door. He sees Dean, and even through a fish-eye perspective, he is stunning. Cas takes a deep breath and opens the door.

Dean is about to smile, but is left breathless when he sees Cas. The new shirt  _definitely_ made a difference.

"Hey, Cas," Dean says. "You look...wow."

"Hello, Dean. You look good as well."

Dean tries not to stare into Cas's eyes, but it's easier said that done, especially with that shirt.

"Are you alright?" Cas asks.

"Yeah, I'm...I'm great. That shirt, though..." He whistles. "You just look...incredible."

Cas feels his cheeks heat up. "Thank you. My friend Charlie got this shirt for me. She said it makes my eyes pop."

"She's not wrong," Dean chuckles. After a moment, he straightens up. "So, are you ready to go?"

"Oh, yes, just let me grab my coat." Cas reaches over and grabs his beloved trench coat from a hook by the door. He puts it on and checks to make sure his keys are in the pocket. He locks the door and closes it behind him.

Dean presses the down button for the elevator, which happened to be right outside Cas's apartment.

"So does living right next to the elevator ever get annoying?" Dean asks as the machine 'bings', letting them know the elevator car as arrived to their floor. The metal doors open.

"A little," Cas admits as they step in. "But it's not too bad." He presses the button for the ground floor.

Dean's about to say something when the elevator stops to let someone else on. An older woman with graying hair, carrying a short-haired shih-tzu, steps in and stands between Dean and Cas. The last four floors down are very awkward.

They get down to the first floor and the woman sets her dog on the ground, holding its leash, and goes down the hallway towards the back door. Dean and Cas go towards the front door.

"It's a beautiful building," Dean comments idly as they make their way to Dean's car.

"It is," Cas agrees. "And there's even an indoor pool and a tennis court out back."

"Wow. And I bet you have a hell of a view on the twelfth floor."

"It is quite nice. And on the fourth of July, we can see the fireworks displays from multiple towns."

"Now  _that's_ something I want to see."

Dean stops in front of a well-kept black car and opens the passenger's door for Cas. Cas slides onto the tan leather bench seat and buckles his seat belt while Dean goes to the driver's side. He starts the engine.

"This is a beautiful car," Cas compliments.

Dean grins. "You like cars?"

"No," Cas deadpans. "But I appreciate beauty."

Dean chuckles. "Yeah, I do, too. But, this car is my baby. She used to be my dad's, but he gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday."

"How old is it?"

"This is a '67 Chevy Impala. I don't care if she's over forty years old; she's still bad ass."

"So do I get to know where we're going?" Cas questions as Dean turns onto the highway.

Dean glances over at Cas and smirks. "Nope. It's a surprise."

"Well am I dressed appropriately?"

Dean looks over and brushes his eyes down Cas's form. "You look perfect." He turns his attention back to the road.

Cas blushes, and he looks out his window to try to conceal it. But Dean has apparently already seen, as he starts laughing.

"So, Cas, tell me about yourself," Dean says after a moment of silence.

"What would you like to know?" Cas requests.

"Anything. What's your favorite color?"

"Green. What about yours?"

Dean looks over at Cas's eyes, then down to his lips, then back up to his eyes before returning them to the road ahead. He smirks. "Blue. Your turn."

"How long have you been a musician?"

"Well, I was sixteen the first time I played. This girl was teaching me. But it just...felt right. So I saved up my money from fixing cars and bought my own from a secondhand store. The singing, I don't know. I've kinda always just sung along to my dad's classic rock."

"Wow. And the song writing?"

Dean shrugs. "It just comes to me. I can't just sit down and write a song. It has to be natural. Unfortunately, though, it doesn't happen all too often. What about you? How long you been running the book shop?"

"Since I was fourteen. Ever since the shop had opened up, I was in there almost everyday. It's always been a quiet place to read or do homework. So Chuck started letting me unpack boxes for a dollar a book. It actually added up quite quickly. When I turned sixteen, he actually hired me and I started getting paid hourly instead of just commission."

"Did you work there through college?"

"Yes, I did. I spent the school year in New Hampshire and spent my vacations here, working at the bookstore."

"But you didn't leave after?"

"No. I was making good pay and I adored Mr. Shurley. I didn't see the need to change careers."

Dean pursed his lips. "I bet you majored in English."

"Anthropology, actually."

Dean raised his eyebrows, impressed.

"Nice. Where did you go to school?"

"Dartmouth."

Dean's eyes widened. "Wow. That's...impressive."

"I suppose."

"You went to an Ivy League school and you're just working at a bookstore in Kansas? You could be rich and living in some big giant house off the coast."

"I don't need to be rich," Cas countered. "Or living in a lavish home by the sea. I like my apartment just fine."

"But-"

"It's my life, and it's my choice."

Cas says it so firmly that Dean's almost afraid.

"You're right. Sorry." Dean's voice is small and tentative, not wanting to anger Cas further.

Cas sighs. "You misunderstand me, Dean. I have everything I need. I'm happy, even without a fancy career."

"But you finished high school. You went to an  _Ivy League_ college. And you work in a  _bookstore_? It just seems..."

"Like a waste?" Cas guesses.

"I wouldn't put it that way."

Cas doesn't say anything. He just stares forward.

"Cas, I didn't mean it like that," Dean pleads. "I just don't understand it, is all. Can we please just forget about it?"

After a moment, Cas nods. "Yes."

"Good." Dean pauses. "What's your favorite animal."

"Bees."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise we get to see their date in the next chapter. Sorry for the long breaks between updates! I'll try to be better about that! As always, thanks for reading! :-)


	5. Date Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The big first date, as promised :-)

Cas wasn't sure how to react when Dean pulled the black sports car into a parking ramp.

"Will you tell me where we're going yet?" Cas questions as Dean puts the Impala in park.

Dean smirks at him. "Nope."

Dean races to Cas's door to open it for him, but the blue-eyed man is already stepping a foot on the pavement.

"I would've gotten your door for you," Dean pouted.

Cas stands and looks at him innocently. "Sorry."

Dean tries to bite back a smile, but it doesn't work. "Alright. But I'm opening it later."

Cas grins. "Deal." They start walking, Dean leading the way, Cas following Dean's lead at his side.

"Stairs or elevator?" Dean asks as they approach the doors.

"Stairs are fine," Cas answers simply.

Dean holds the door to the stairway and Cas starts descending. When he reaches the bottom, he holds the door open for Dean. He doesn't miss the way Dean blushes...or the way it makes his freckles stand out even more.

"So what do you like to do when you're not running the bookstore?" Dean asks. It seems more than just conversational. It seems as though Dean really is interested in what Cas does for leisure.

"Read, usually," Cas admits, shrugging one shoulder slightly. "I don't really do much. I'm actually pretty boring."

Dean chuckles. "You're not boring, Cas. Far from it."

Cas just shrugs again. "What about you? What do you do when you're not fixing up cars and singing in bars?"

"You just described my life perfectly," Dean teases. "No, I do stuff sometimes. It's usually just music and cars, but...I like other stuff."

"Like what?" Cas prods.

"Like movies. And I like to cook."

"What kind of movies do you like?"

Dean shrugs. "Pretty much anything. I like watching horror movies and laughing at how stupid the characters can be. I've seen every single _Friday the 13th_ movie out there, including the new one."

"I'm not big on horror movies. They're too unrealistic."

"That's why they're funny!" Dean argues, his lips curved in a smile. "I swear, I am going to  _make_ you watch some horror movies. At least some of the classics. Oh, and  _Rubber_. That one is  _beyond_ hilarious!"

"What's it about?" Cas tilted his head slightly to the side, reminding Dean of a curious puppy.

"It's about a tire that goes around killing people."

"A murderous tire? Really?" Cas can't help but laugh at that.

Dean laughs with him. Once his laughter subsides, he adds, "Seriously, though, what kinds of movies do you like?"

"Well, since you already know how big of a nerd I am..."

"You're not  _that_ bad," Dean counters.

Cas glares at him halfheartedly. "I like  _Star Wars_. And  _Star Trek_. And pretty much every nerdy series you can think of."

"So you won't make fun of me if I said that I've seen every  _Star Trek_ movie ever made?"

Cas chuckles. "I've seen them all,  _plus_ the series."

Dean smiles. "That's awesome. I bet you read all the  _Star Wars_ books, didn't you?"

"Yes. Actually, if there's ever a movie that I want to see, I see if there's a book it's based off of first. And if there is, I refuse the see the movie until I've finished the book."

"You sound like my brother. He won't watch any more  _Game of Thrones_ until he's finished the books."

"I've already read the books. And watched the show."

"That's Joffrey's a dick, huh?"

"Understatement."

Dean slows to a stop. "This is it." He gestures to the building in front of them.

"You brought me to Harvelle's?"

"Yeah." Dean rubs the back of his neck with his hand, suddenly self conscious. "Is that alright? We can go someplace else."

"No, it's perfect!" A huge grin comes across Cas's face, and Dean quickly reciprocates.

Dean opens the door to the pub for Cas, and then follows him in.

"Look what the cat dragged in!" A woman with brunette hair and a slight southern accent greeted Dean. She went over from the table she was wiping down and hugged him.

"Hey, Ellen," Dean greets, beaming. He pulls out of the hug and gestures to Cas. "This is Cas. My date for the evening."

"Hey, I'm Ellen," the woman greets, holding her hand out for Cas to shake.

"Cas," he repeats, taking her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"You as well. Dean here hasn't shut up about you since last night."

Dean blushes. "And yet you still let me play here," he teases.

"Only because no one else will let your ass inside!" she jokes.

Cas watches the exchange in awe, and a hint of envy.

"Anyways," Ellen sighs, "I'll let you get to dinner."

"Thanks, Ellen," Dean calls after her as she walks over to the bar. Dean leads Cas to a booth in the corner, sliding in across from him. "Sorry," he says. "She's crazy, but she's family. Also, she scares the hell out me sometimes."

Cas chuckles, but it's forced. He hopes Dean doesn't notice.

"So, now that you've met my aunt, why don't you tell me about your family?" Dean adds.

Cas opens his mouth to say something, but the waiter steps up to the table.

"Hey, Dean," he greets. Cas notices a Louisiana accent. "The usual for ya, brother?"

"Yeah, thanks, Benny." Dean smiles at him before turning his attention back to Cas.

"And what about you?" Benny asks Cas.

"Um..I'll drink whatever Dean's drinking, and then I'll take a..." he glances down at the menu for a moment before continuing with, "...double bacon cheeseburger, no onion."

"Side of fries?"

"Yes, please."

Benny scribbles the order on his notepad. "Okay. I'll be right back with your drinks."

"Thanks, Benny," Dean says.

"Do you know everyone here?" Cas asks, trying to sound playful.

"Pretty much. That's kinda what happens when you perform here every week."

"Yeah, why did you bring me back here, anyways? I don't mind, I'm just curious."

"Well, like I said earlier, I  _was_ going to buy you a drink after the show and get to know you better, but you had already left. I thought maybe we could kind of pick up where we left off."

Cas shakes his head, the corners of his chapped lips curved up slightly. "I'd rather we didn't. I could barely speak two words to you. And that was  _before_ I knew you were the entertainment for the night."

"Jeez, you saying 'entertainent' like that kinda makes me feel like a stripper," Dean ribs. "I just meant...I wanted to get to know you better here last night, but here tonight is just as good."

Cas smiles, looking down at the table. After a moment he raises his gaze to meet Dean's. "You're kind of a sap, you know that?"

"Shut up," Dean says warmly, a smile on his face.

Cas lets his gaze dart across the pub, and they land on Jo wiping down the bar, watching them, mild jealousy on her face. Cas turns back to Dean.

"I think the bartender has a crush on you," Cas muses.

Dean looks over at the bar. Jo smiles at him.

"Jo? Nah." Dean shakes his head, facing Cas again. "She's like a sister to me."

"She's staring at you."

Before Dean can say anything in response, Benny comes back with two beers. He sets them in front of Dean and Cas.

"Thank, man," Dean says.

"Sure thing, brother." The man tips an imaginary hat on his head before retreating back to the kitchen.

Dean grabs the bottle in front of him and takes a swig. Cas drinks at least a fourth of his in one go.

"Whoa, easy there," Dean advises. "Now I have nothing against too drunk men, but I was kinda hoping to get to know you first."

Cas blushes and nudges his beer away slightly with his knuckle.

"So you said Ellen is your aunt?" Cas asks, changing the subject.

"Pretty much. She's not blood, but as an old drunk one told me, 'family don't end in blood'. So, yeah, Ellen's family. Jo, too," Dean adds.

"Who else is in this family of yours?"

Dean leans forward, resting his elbows on the table with his hands folded in front of him. "Well, there's Sammy. He's my brother. Blood, actually. Our mom died in a house fire when we were little."

"I'm so sorry," Cas interjects.

"Thanks. It was a long time ago, but..."

"It still stings a little?"

Dean looks Cas in the eyes. "Yeah." He stares a moment longer before clearing his throat and reluctantly averting his gaze. "Anyway, after my mom died, our dad started traveling all over the country, trying to keep himself distracted. I don't really know what he was doing all that time, but we were never in the same place for more than a month. Well, until Sammy turned sixteen. He ran away while I was watching him. My dad was...pissed, to say the least. He sent me to find Sam and I did. I found him here two weeks later. He  _refused_ to go back to living on the road. So I convinced Dad to let me stay with him so that he could finish high school in one place. He graduated with honors, the little nerd, and went to Stanford Law."

"And what about you? Where did you go to school?" Cas asks, taking a small drink of his beer.

Dean looks down at the table. "I, uh, actually never finished high school. I dropped out so I could pick up some work to help pay for Sammy's school."

Cas stares at Dean until the other man looks up to meet his eyes.

"What?" Dean questions, suddenly self conscious.

There is nothing but admiration in Cas's eyes as he says, "That was very noble of you. Putting aside your own education so you could help your brother pursue his."

Dean shrugs. "He's my brother. I'd do anything for him."

Cas's eyes never leave Dean's face, even as Benny sets two plates on the table. Dean gives Benny a small thank you and picks up his burger, taking the first bite. Reluctantly, Cas follows suit.

"What about you?" Dean asks in between bites of burger. "What's your family like?"

Cas pauses while he swallows his bite. "I never knew my parents. My brothers raised me. Michael, mainly, acting as the father figure. Gabriel left for a while, but he came back after Michael got sick."

Dean nods, not sure how to respond. "So you're the youngest?"

Cas huffs a laugh. "That's your takeaway from the story?"

"It wasn't that much of a story," Dean defends, smiling. "That was a summery."

"Well, the rest is a tale for another time."

Dean's smile broadens. "So there'll be another time?"

Cas reciprocates Dean's grin. "Yeah, I think there will be." He takes another bite of cheeseburger. "This is amazing, by the way."

"Right?" Dean takes another bite of his own. "Best burgers in the state."

"Not the country?"

Dean chuckles. "Not quite. Those belong to this little seaside shack in Delaware that I went to when I was, like, eleven. But these are a  _very_ close second."

Cas smiles around his next bite.

 

 

When Dean cuts the engine on the Impala's engine in front of Cas's apartment building, Cas waits in his seat so Dean can open his door for him.

"You know you don't have to do that, right?" Cas says as he steps out.

"I know." Dean shrugs. "But I want to."

Cas smiles. He and Dean walk up to the main door of the building. He stops right outside the door and turns to face Dean.

"I had a really good time tonight."

Dean smiles. "So did I." Dean starts to lean in, but Cas clears his throat.

"Sorry," Cas apologizes. "I don't really kiss on the first date. Never really have."

"No, that's fine," Dean assures, biting his lip, making Cas reconsider his little rule. "I should apologize."

"It's alright, really. I just don't want to rush into things, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it. I've never done it before, but I get it. I will go as slow as you want. No pressure."

"I appreciate that."

"So...when can I see you again?"

"Pretty much anytime you come into the bookstore," Cas teases. "But no loitering."

Dean chuckles. "Well, I can always make sure that you get fed properly."

Cas grins. "I'll keep that in mind. Goodnight, Dean."

"Goodnight, Cas."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I've been super busy at work! Thanks for bearing with me! You guys are amazing!!! Also, I've been facing some writer's block when I do actually get the time to write, so sorry about that as well. Thank you all so much!!! :-)


	6. The Morning After

Cas doesn't fight the smile on his face as he takes the elevator up to his apartment. There's a forty-something year old man on the elevator as well, but he's too busy scrolling on his smartphone and talking into the Bluetooth in his ear to pay Cas any mind. 

The keys on Cas's keychain send out a small echo through the empty hallway as he goes to unlock his door. He opens the front closet and hangs his trench coat, slipping out of his shoes.

"Hey, bro," Gabriel says, suddenly behind him.

Cas jumps with a start, having not expected Gabe to be home at ten o'clock on a Saturday night.

"Gabe? What are you doing here?" Cas brushes past him to the kitchen, grabbing a glass out of the cabinet and filling it with tap water.

"I kidna live here, in case you forgot."

Cas rolls his eyes. "It's Saturday. I thought you'd be out."

"And miss my baby bro get home from his first date?" He wiggles his brows suggestively. " _Pfft_."

"It wasn't my first date," Cas argues.

"First one in a long time. And first one with Mr. Dreamy Guitar Player."

Cas's face contorts in a way that silently conveys,  _"Did you seriously just say that?"_

"So how'd it go? Did you let him get to second base?" Gabe teases.

Reflexively, Cas's eyes roll. "We just went to dinner and talked. It was nice."

"Not even a kiss?"

Cas dodges his brother's gaze and looks down at his water before taking a drink.

Gabe's eyes widen in shock. "Seriously, dude? What, did he not make a move or something?"

"Not that it's any of your business," Cas bites, "but he  _did_ make a move. I just turned him down."

Cas starts walking towards his bedroom, but Gabe is hot on his heels.

"Why? I thought you liked him," Gabe calls out.

Just outside his bedroom door, Cas turns abruptly to face Gabriel. "I do. So I just want to take things slow. Can we drop it, please?"

Gabe sighs in surrender and Cas takes the opportunity to duck inside his room, firmly closing the door behind him. He exhales, loud and slow.

 

Cas wakes to his phone buzzing. At first, he thinks it's his alarm yelling at him to get up for work, but then he remembers that it's Sunday, and the bookstore's closed. Without untangling himself from his comforter, or even lifting his head from the pillow, he reaches over for his phone and unplugs it from the charger.

**_From Dean, 8:34 am:_ ** _hey, got any plans for today?_

Cas smiles, but it fades.

_**To Dean, 8:36 am:** I do, actually. I have to write, edit, and send the weekly email detailing all the books being released._

**_From Dean, 8:39 am:_ ** _how long's that gonna take?_

Cas gnaws on the inside of his lip as he thinks about it for a moment.

**_To Dean, 8:42 am:_ ** _An hour or two, I suppose._

_**From Dean, 8:47 am:** _ _do you wanna catch a movie this afternoon? i'm dying to see deadpool_

Cas sets his phone back on his nightstand while he sits up to stretch, thinking of how to respond. He already had plans to see Deadpool this afternoon with Charlie. Would she be angry about him letting Dean tag along?

He's reaching for his phone when it buzzes again.

**_From Charlie, 8:54 am:_ ** _How pissed would you be if I brought a date to our movie????_

Cas perks up as he replies.

**_To Charlie, 8:55 am:_ ** _Not at all...as long as I get to bring one, too._

The smile on Cas's face remains as he places his feet on the soft carpet of his bedroom floor. His phone buzzes multiple times, letting him know he has a phone call. It's from Charlie.

"You didn't tell me you were dating someone!" Charlie complained eagerly the second Cas tapped 'answer'.

"We've only been on one date," Cas informs her, running his hand through his bedhead.

"Still! I'm your best friend! You're supposed to tell me this stuff!"

"I was going to this afternoon."

"Well when was your date?"

"Just last night."

"Oh. Okay. I guess I can forgive you, then."

Cas rolls his eyes fondly, knowing that Charlie can't see it.

"Are you still seeing Dorothy?" Cas asks.

"Yep!" Charlie cheers. Cas can practically hear her beaming. "She's officially my girlfriend now."

"Girlfriend, really? It's been, what, four dates?"

"Four  _amazing_ dates and a  _lot_ of texting. Besides, we see each other outside of dates. I've known her for almost two months now; it's not like a met her yesterday."

"Yeah, alright, I surrender."

"How long have you known your man?"

Cas bites his lip. "Since Friday, I guess."

"You guess?"

"We met Friday night, but I was too busy making an ass of myself to have a proper conversation with him," Cas explains.

"But he still asked you out?"

"Yes."

Charlie squeaks with delight. "Yay! Oh my god, this is gonna be our first double date!"

Cas's face falls as he realizes that. "Is it too soon to go on a double date with Dean?"

Charlie gasps. "His name is  _Dean_?! Oh my god! He sounds  _so_ dreamy!"

Cas rolls his eyes again. "Yes, his name is Dean. ...And he  _is_ quite handsome." He pauses. "But I don't even know all that much about him yet. Is it too soon?"

"Hmm," Charlie hums in contemplation. "I guess it might be. I don't know. That's up to you two, I guess. Different couples move at different speeds. Just ask him."

Cas's phone buzzes against his face, letting him know he has a new message.

"Hey, Charlie, can I call you back in a little bit?" he requests.

"Yeah, sure thing. Besides, I gotta call Dorothy anyway, let her know that she can tag along."

"Thanks, Char." Cas hangs up and checks his text.

**_From Dean, 9:07 am:_ ** _sorry if that was too forward. we don't have to go_

Cas smiles.

**_To Dean, 9:08 am:_ ** _Sorry, my friend called me. Actually, my friend and I had plans to see Deadpool today. She's bringing a date. And I was wondering if you wanted to come with, as well. Or is it too soon?_

Cas chews on the inside of his cheek as he waits for the response.

**_From Dean, 9:09 am:_ ** _i think a double date sounds fun :)_

Cas beams.

**_To Dean, 9:10 am:_ ** _We're meeting at the Paragon at 3._

_**From Dean, 9:12 am:** sounds great. i'll see you then :)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So once I actually got started with something, it just started flowing...so this chapter is a little bit different from what I planned, but it doesn't change my endgame. As always, thanks for reading, lovelies! :-)


	7. First Row

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Movie time!

Charlie was already waiting in line at the ticket booth with Dorothy when Cas arrived. Both girls were laughing at something Charlie said.

"Ooh, Cas!" Charlie squeaks when she sees him. She waves him over.

"Hey, Charlie," Cas greets, approaching them.

Charlie throws her arms around him. He reciprocates the hug.

"Cas, this is Dorothy," Charlie introduces when she pulls away. "Dorothy, this is Cas."

Cas holds his hand out for a handshake. Dorothy shakes it.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Dorothy says. "This one just doesn't shut up about you."

Cas chuckles. "Well, if it's any consolation, I've heard plenty about you as well."

"Not all bad, I hope," Dorothy teases.

"Just a little," Charlie ribs back.

Dorothy nudges Charlie with her shoulder, smirking. Charlie giggles.

"So, Cas, where's Mr. Dreamy?" Charlie asks.

Cas looks around, seeing if he spots Dean. "Um, not sure. He said he'd be here. Maybe he changed his mind." His face falls.

Charlie rolls her eyes. "I seriously doubt that."

Cas shrugs innocently. Behind him, Charlie can see a tall, handsome man looking around. "Is that him?" she suggests, pointing.

Cas turns his head and his face brightens when he sees Dean.

"Yeah, that's him."

Dean spots him and smiles, walking up to them.

"Hey, Cas," he greets.

"Hello, Dean." Cas turns to Charlie. "Um, this is Dean. Dean, this is Charlie, and her girlfriend, Dorothy."

Dean holds his hand out, but Charlie ignores it, pulling him in for a hug.

"Sorry, she's a hugger," Dorothy apologizes, nothing but fondness in her voice. Charlie pulls away, shooting Dorothy a playfully evil look.

"That's alright." Dean shrugs. "I don't mind."

The girl at the box office called for the next people in line, which happened to be them.

"Four for Deadpool, please," Charlie announces.

"Okay, that'll be $25," the girl informs them.

Before anyone else can pull out money, Dean is handing the girl the money.

"My treat," he says when they all give him a questioning look.

"Dean, you don't have to do that," Cas argues.

"Yes he does," Charlie teases.

"It's no problem, really," Dean assures.

"Okay, but I'm buying concessions," Cas states.

Dean rolls his eyes, smiling. The girl hands him the tickets. He distributes them as they walk towards the snack counter, getting stopped by the ticket collector on the way.

"I was gonna get a large, but that is huge!" Charlie exclaims.

"That is quite big," Cas agrees.

"That's big enough for the four of us to share," Dorothy adds.

"Then we'll just get two smalls," Dean suggests.

"I can help you over here," the kid at the snack counter called over to them. His name tag read "Alfie". "What can I get for you?"

"Two small popcorns and four small drinks, please," Dean says.

"Butter on the popcorn?"

Dean looks over to the group, all of them nodding.

"Yes, please."

"Okay, that'll be $38.50."

Dean holds up a card before swiping it in the machine. He types in his pin and puts the card back in his wallet.

Charlie hands him a $20 bill.

"Keep it," Dean argues.

"You're not paying for  _all_ of it, dude."

"Yes I am."

Charlie narrows her eyes. "Just take the money."

"Nope."

Alfie hands Dean the popcorn. Cas takes the cups and hands one to each of them. Dean gives one of the popcorn bags to Charlie.

When Dean goes up to the soda machine, Charlie says to Cas, "Give this to him. I don't care if you have to reverse pickpocket him while you're making out, just give it to him." She hands him the money.

"Okay," Cas agrees, taking the bill and stuffing it in his pocket for the time being.

After everyone has selected their drinks, they make their way into the theater, which is already pretty full. Dean leads them to the front row of the back section, right behind the railing.

"I like resting my feet on the rail," he explains.

"Oh, yeah, me too," Dorothy chips in. "And even though she'll never admit it, so does this one."

Charlie scrunches her nose at her girlfriend, who laughs.

The bag of popcorn that Dean and Cas share is almost halfway empty before the movie even stops.

"Do you see this?" Cas says, holding up the bag. "We have no self control."

"Everyone does it," Dean says has he grabs another handful. He realizes that the armrest between them is more of a bother than anything else, and he raises it. "Much better." He places the popcorn back in the space between.

For the first half of the movie, Dean's hand fidgets. A lot. He's just  _itching_ to hold Cas's hand. Finally, he leans over and whispers, "Can I hold your hand?"

"Yes, please!" Cas whispers back, grabbing Dean's hand.

Dean beams, unable to control his glee.

It's not long after that that Cas brings Dean's arm around himself, resting his head on Dean's chest. Trying to be sneaky about it, Dean kisses the top of his head, smiling as he does. They stay snuggled like that for the entire movie, and even during the credits afterwards, not wanting to let go.

"We are nauseating," Cas teases as the lights in the theater turn on.

"I'd second that," Charlie says, turning to them, Dorothy wrapped up in her arms in almost the same way, "but we're far worse."

Dorothy giggles and Dean chuckles.

"We're adorable," Dean corrects, beaming.

Dean and Cas continue holding hands as they exit the theater. The girls say their goodbye and take off. Dean starts walking Cas towards the parking lot.

"So where's your car?" Dean asks him.

"Didn't bring it," Cas tells him. "I walked."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to drive you home?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"And if I want to?" Dean questions.

Cas blushes, smiling. "That'd be okay."

Dean leads Cas to the Impala. He turns on the engine and the radio starts playing. The song ends, and a new one begins. A really sappy love song and Dean can't help but turn it up.

"Really?" Cas says.

"Yes." Dean smiles unapologetically. "I'm just feeling it."

Cas rolls his eyes fondly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Largely based on an AMAZING date I had on Saturday :-D I hope you liked this chapter! Next one coming soon!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god I am soooooo sorry for taking so long to update!!! I have been crazy busy at work and then I'm exhausted by the time I get home! I hope certain events in this chapter can make up for it at least a little. Thank you so much for bearing with me!!!

Thursday morning, Cas awoke to the grating sound of his alarm. He groans as he pokes his hand out from under the covers and turns it off.

He goes out into the kitchen and starts a pot of coffee. He grabs a bowl and a packet of oatmeal from the cabinet.

After his rushed breakfast, Cas goes into his closet to find his suit. From inside the closet, he hears his phone ring. He goes out to answer it, smiling when he sees the call is from Dean.

"Hello, Dean," Cas answers, still smiling.

"Hey, Cas," Dean says back. "Do you wanna do lunch today? I can grab your usual."

Cas sighs. "As lovely as that sounds, I actually have a meeting."

"A meeting? Really? For a bookstore?"

Cas holds the phone to his ear with his shoulder while he goes back to get his suit.

"I'm meeting with the estate lawyer. The owner has been missing so they're giving me temporary ownership until he can be found," Cas explains, beginning to shimmy out of his pajama pants.

"Ownership, really?" Dean whistles. "That sounds intense. And a little impressive, to be honest."

Cas chuckles. "It's only temporary. But Chuck asked that his property be left in my care, so I guess that's what is happening."

"So no lunch today?"

Cas smiles. "Not today. Sorry."

Dean sighs dramatically. "Well I guess you're just gonna have to make it up to me."

"What if I made you dinner?"

" _Make_ me dinner? Wow." Dean pauses, and Cas can only assume he's considering. "That sounds pretty great, actually. I haven't had a good home-cooked meal since Christmas."

Cas rolls his eyes. "How does six sound?"

"Six sounds perfect," Dean answers.

"Okay. Then I will see you at six."

"Good."

"Okay, I need to get ready. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yeah, of course. Good luck at your meeting," Dean encourages.

"Thank you." Cas hangs up before he can get even more sidetracked and goes back to undressing.

 

 

Cas was fighting the urge to bounce on his heels with anxiety as he stood in the empty elevator in the Wells Fargo building downtown, where the law firm was set.

The steel doors of the elevator part and Cas steps out, taking a deep breath before walking up to the desk.

"Can I help you?" the overly-chipper woman behind the desk asked Cas.

Cas tries to swallow the lump forming in his throat. "Um, hi, I have a meeting with Naomi Milton."

"Oh, Castiel Novak, right?" She jumps to her feet. "Right this way."

The woman leads Cas away from the desk, but not before he notices the name plate on the desk reading  _Julie Miller_.

Julie leads Cas down a brightly light hallway, passing many cubicles, most of which occupied by people typing and filing papers. Julie stops in front of a door. "Wait just a moment, please." She disappears behind the door, latching it behind her.

As he waits for Julie to reappear, Cas can't help but notice the cubicle across from the office. From what he could see, it was too unusual, but there was a candy dish on top with M&M's. The woman behind the counter smiled up at him, brown eyes peering from behind her thick glasses.

"You can help yourself," she says, seeing him eye the colorful candy-coated chocolate.

"Perhaps on my way out," Cas replies, giving her a polite smile.

Julie comes back out. "Mrs. Milton will see you now," she informs him.

Cas swallows and goes into the office, noticing the marvelous view from the large windows.

A woman with red hair pulled back into a bun stands up and offers her hand to Cas.

 

 

When he gets back to his apartment, Cas isn't sure if he should be surprised or not to see his brother still there.

"Gabe?" he calls out.

"Hey little bro!" Cas hears from the living room.

"I thought you had work today."

"Nope. Day off." Gabriel smirks from the couch.

"Is it possible for you to leave for a little while tonight?" Cas asks.

Gabe sits up, intrigued. "Why? Have a hot date coming over?" He wiggles his eyebrows.

Cas rolls his eyes. "I do, actually. So if you could make yourself scarce for a few hours, that would be lovely."

Gabe leans back, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll find something to do. Out of the apartment."

"Thank you."

Cas retreats into his room. He looks around for something to tidy, but his room is practically spotless. His bed isn't made, but it never is. All of his clothes are put away or in a hamper. His garbage can is hardly half full. He sighs as he loosens his tie.

 

 

Cas is about to strain the noodles from the dinner he's making when there's a knock at the door. Cas sets the pot of boiling water and al dente linguine noodles onto the counter and rushes over to open the door.

"Hello, Dean," he says quickly before returning to the kitchen, not bothering with formalities while his noodles are in peril.

"Hey." Dean comes in and closes the door behind me. "Am I early?"

Cas looks over at the clock on the wall.

"No, I'm just running late. You are perfectly punctual."

"Um, thank you?"

Cas chuckles as he pours the contents of the pot into the colander sitting in the sink.

"My brother was being extremely pokey about leaving. He took his time putting his shoes and jacket on. I think he was stalling on purpose," Cas jokes.

Dean laughs, a beautiful sound in Cas's ears. "He just wanted another look at this beautiful face."

Cas mock glares over Dean, noticing his sinful smirk. It should be illegal for someone to be so attractive. Cas puts the noodles into a bowl and sets it on the small table in the kitchen, where there's already two places set and a bottle of red wine.

"So what are you making for me?" Dean asks, examining the kitchen. "It smells amazing."

Cas smiles, stirring sauce on the stove. "Linguine with marinara, made with fresh tomatoes."

"You made your own sauce?"

"Yes." Cas removes the saucepan from heat and sets it onto a potholder on the counter. He opens a cupboard and reaches for another bowl.

"You can leave it in the pot, dude," Dean comments, stopping Cas. "It doesn't have to be super fancy. Honestly, a jar of Prego heated up in the microwave would've been good enough for me."

"So you won't mind that the noodles were actually left over from when I made chicken Alfredo?"

Dean gasps dramatically. "Nope, that's the line. I have to leave now." He smiles, making sure Cas knows he's only joking.

Cas smiles and brings the saucepan and potholder to the table.

 

 

"That was incredible," Dean comments as he sets his half empty glass of wine back on the table. "You can't get that tomato taste with the store-bought stuff. That was so good."

"I'm glad you liked it." Cas smiles and starts clearing the table.

"I'll wash, you dry?" Dean offers, standing up.

Cas looks over to Dean. "I'm not making you do my dishes."

"I know. I offered." Dean steps closer to Cas, almost trapping him against the counters, but still giving him enough room if he wanted to get around him. He leans in close, but doesn't let his lips touch Cas's just yet.

"I wasn't going to do them now anyway," Cas whispers, unable to get his voice any louder. The butterflies in his stomach felt like a hurricane.

Dean abruptly steps away from Cas, putting a little distance between them. "So what's next on the agenda for this evening?"

Cas blinks, trying to clear the dizziness from his head. Dean had that affect on him. "Um, I have something for you, actually. It's in my bedroom."

Dean cocks an eyebrow.

"It's right over here." Cas leads Dean into his bedroom and goes over to the nightstand. He pulls out a golden chain with a zircon crystal on the end of it. He hands it to Dean. "The, uh, crystal is supposed to drive away evil spirits. Or at least, that's what the little card said. I don't pay too much attention to mythology. But I knew you liked blue and it's a subtle blue. You don't have to wear it if you don't want to. I just thought...actually I don't really know what I was thinking."

"Cas," Dean interrupts. "I love it." He takes it from Cas and pulls it over his head, the chain long enough that it hangs down to his epigastric region. Cas smiles.

"Dean?" Cas asks after a moment of silence.

"Yeah?"

Cas looks into Dean's moldavite eyes. "Can I kiss you?"

Dean smiles. "I've been waiting for you to ask that for so long."

Cas wastes no time is bringing his lips to Dean's. Cas had no words for this kiss other than pure perfection. Except it wasn't perfect. But it was  _theirs_ , which is what made it perfect.

"Finally," Dean sighs, his lips smiling against Cas's.

Cas brings his hands to Dean's neck. Dean runs one of his hands up Cas's arm, clutching onto the other man's hand still against his neck. They both smile, but their lips refuse to part.

Even after Dean has left and Cas is in his bed, his lips are still tingling. He smiles as he rolls onto his side and buries his smile into his pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will try to have the next chapter by the end of the week. It should be possible since I actually have a couple days off this week. Thanks again for bearing with me and my hectic schedule! I feel so bad for making you wait!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I really shouldn't make promises about when I'm going to update because I seem to forget about writer's block and depression, and both have been kicking my ass these last couple weeks. I will try to be better about it, but I'm not going to make any promises because I don't want to let you guys down. Thanks for bearing with me!!!!

Cas decides to go in to the bookshop early on Friday morning. He was the owner now, even if only temporarily. He left his book bag on the front counter and ducked into the office.

The way his eyes widened when he noticed how few employees the store had was unavoidable. Aside from Chuck, there was only Castiel, Kevin, and Hannah, whom he'd only met once before. He and Hannah worked opposite shifts. He'd only met her right after Chuck had hired her and introduced her.

Cas sighed and set down the binder of employee files. He searched for applications that were already printed out, but saw no sign. Hoping there was a saved document on the computer in the office, he turned it on. The desktop was so disorganized that it took him nearly twenty minutes to put any sort of order to it, and an extra ten to put them in files. Despite his efforts, he still didn't find an application. He sighed again, his shoulders slumping.

He shoved the rolling office chair away from the metal desk and went out to the front. He thought he'd known everything he needed to, but now he realized how wrong he was. At the very least, he thought Chuck was more organized than this.

Now standing at the front counter, Cas was digging through his bag, looking for his address book. His phone rang and it started Cas so much that he dropped his bag, the contents falling onto the floor. He checked the caller ID, but didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Hello, I'm calling for Castiel Novak," a feminine voice replied.

"This is he."

"Hello, Castiel, it's Hannah."

Cas's brows raised in surprise. "Oh. Hello, Hannah. What can I help you with?"

"I know I'm supposed to pick up the shipment and open up this morning, but there was a family emergency and I can't make it," she explained.

"Oh. Um. That's alright. I will take care of it." Castiel suppressed a sigh.

"Thank you so much, Castiel!"

"No problem. Oh, and Hannah?"

"Yes?"

"There's a staff meeting tomorrow morning. Please let me know if you can't make it."

"Yes, I will. Thanks again, Castiel."

Cas laid his phone on the counter and squatted down to collect his things. His phone rang again, causing him to jump again. This time, he hit the top of his head on the bottom corner of the counter. He rubbed the spot that he hit with his hand as he reached for his phone. He didn't check the caller ID this time.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Cas." Cas would know that voice anywhere. It was Dean.

"Hello, Dean." Cas bent back down to finish picking up his things, wedging the phone between his cheek and shoulder.

"How does breakfast sound to you?"

"Time consuming," Cas sighed, not thinking first.

"What?"

"I'm sorry. Now's actually not a good time. I'm extremely busy right now."

"Oh. I get it. Will I see you tonight?"

"Tonight?" Cas put the last of his bag's contents back inside and stood, taking the phone in his hand.

"Harvelle's? My weekly gig. Are you going to be there?"

Oh. In all the craziness, Cas had forgotten. "I will try."

"You'll try?" Dean questioned.

"Yes, I'll try."

"Yeah, okay." Cas was glad that he couldn't see Dean's face, because with the obvious sadness in his voice, he didn't know if he'd be able to stomach the look he knew must be painting it right now. "I'll see you later, Cas."

And with that, he hung up. Cas sighed and put his phone into his pocket, grabbing his keys so he could go pick up the shipment of books in the city.


	10. A Note from the Author

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning, I'm going to talk a little bit about my depression.

Hey guys! I know it's been  _months_ since I've written anything. I really am sorry about that, but depression's a bitch. I've been having a lot of issues with my depression and getting motivated to do much of anything. As much as I would love to finish this story for you guys, I'm just not sure when that's going to be. I know where I want to take the story, but I have no idea how to get there. I might just end up jumping towards the end faster than I had originally planned. You guys deserve better than this, but it's all I have. The last time I wrote, I had a girlfriend who was my best friend as well as a platonic best friend. Well, my girlfriend broke up with me, so that left me with one friend. Then he moved away. Even though we still talk, it's not the same and I feel like I lost both of my best friends in the span of a month. And now I don't have any friends irl. Except for my sister. But my sister also has depression, so I try not to talk to her about it because I'm worried that I might trigger her. I do have a therapist that I see once a week, but it's not the same has having a best friend. I really just want someone that I can go catch a movie with or go shopping or just order a pizza and watch Netflix. But I don't have that. And I need that. But my depression scares people away. And it sucks. So I've been in the middle of a three month long depression episode with just a few glimmers of happiness here and there. Mostly when I find new music. Oh and I had panic attacks at least twice a day for almost two weeks last month. So that was fun.

 

Anyway, since you're not here to read about my crappy life, the notes at the end of this chapter has a synopsis of where I wanted to go with the story. If you want to read it, go right ahead. If you want to wait and see if I'm ever going to finish the actual story, that's okay too, but I can't promise that's ever going to happen. Sorry again. You guys deserve more. If someone wants to take my synopsis and finish the story yourself, go for it. Just please tag me so that I can come read it too. Thank you. And again, I'm sorry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So after Dean and Cas got further in their relationship, I was going to have them get into a big fight that leaves them on the edge of will they/won't they with breaking up. Dean begs Cas to come to one of his gigs and Cas says no. The night of, Cas changes his mind and goes, but doesn't tell Dean. Once Dean sees that Cas is in the audience, he starts singing "Angeles" since that's the song that was playing when they first met. And then they live happily ever after.


End file.
